Combination awning and storm shutter



June 19, 1951 2,557,676

COMBINATION AWNING AND STORM SHUTTER Filed June 28, 1946 INVENTOR Patented June 19 1 951 UNITED .STATES' PATENT oFFI-cE EOMBINATION AWNING AND STORM SHUTTER Rufus'iw. Miller, Miami, Fla. Application June 28, 1946, Serial No. 680,155

1 Claim. 01. 160 1'29) This invention relates in general to a combination awing and storm shutter and in particular to a substantially rigid type awning adapted to be collapsed and secured in position to act as a storm shutter, and vice versa.

In certain sections of our country storms come up very rapidly and as far as I am aware there are no provisions for protection against storms except 'the old two shutter affairs which hinge at the sides of the windows. These have no other utility except as. storm shutters. My invention can be used throughout the year as awnings and when inclement weather threatens, the device can be quickly and expeditiously lowered and locked into storm shutter position.

It is also very useful when property is being vacated for any period of time and it is desired to bar the windows against breakage and vandalism.

In providing a dual-purpose device of this nature it is one object of the invention to construct an awning decorative in appearance and substantially rigid in form so as to withstand heavy winds and the action of the elements.

It is a further object of the invention to so arrange the parts of the awning that they may be collapsed at will and adapted to fit the window opening, completely covering same.

It is another object of the invention to provide retaining means adapted to hold the awning in shading position or hold the storm shutter in protective position.

It is yet another object of the invention to include in the retaining means, additional means which will actually look the awning or storm shutter against theft.

With these objects in mind, the construction, operation and advantages of my invention can be better understood by referring to the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention arranged in a window opening as an awning.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my invention dropped into the window opening and serving as a storm shutter.

Fig. 3 is a flattened view of the invention with all parts in one plane showing the manner of hinging the elements to each other.

Fig. 4 is a disassociated view of the retaining and locking means.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals of reference, I designates the window opening in which the awning-storm shutter 2 is installed. One edge of rectangular member 3 is hinged at 4 to the top of the window opening.

The edge 5 of member v3 is hinged to rectangular member 6, the sides of which carry irregularly shaped. members I hinged at 8. Upper edge 9 of members 1 merely abuts edge [0 of member 3 and is not secured or hinged thereto.

The edge ll of irregularly shaped members 1 is adapted to lie adjacent the side edge of the window opening I.

Slots l2 are provided along the edge II and dogs 13 are adapted to engage the slots to securely retain the members I and the awning in position. Notches M in dogs l3 are provided to prevent disengagement of the dogs and to facilitate the locking of the awning.

The dogs are secured to rods l5 passing through suitable opening into the interior of the building. A retainer IS with opening l1 slips freely over the end of the rod l5 and may be suitably secured to: the window frame by screws IS. The end of the rod l5 has a threaded portion l9 and squared sides 20 on which slotted end 2| of handle 22 is adapted to fit so that rod l5 may be rotated. A dowel pin 23 on handle 22 is adapted to fit opening 24 in retainer l6, and is retained therein by tightening nut 25.

In operating the locking means it is only necessary to loosen nut 25, slip handle 22 out on rod I 5 a sufficient distance to clear pin 23 from opening 24 and then rotate the rod and the dog l3 through an arc to clear or engage slot I2; or when the device is being used as a storm shutter to firmly bear against or be moved free from the surface of the storm shutter.

In order to provide additional cover to fill the window opening when the device is being used as a storm shutter another rectangular member 28 is hinged to the bottom edge 21 of rectangular member 6 andmay be folded up under said member 6 when the device is being used as an awning.

When it is desired to move the various members into position as a storm shutter the dogs l3 are released, member 26 is dropped downwardly into alignment with rectangular member 6, irregularly-shaped side members 1 are folded inwardly and against the back of membe 6, members 3 and 6 are brought into alignment and the entire structure swung downwardly with hinge 4 as a pivot until it lies within the window opening. At this time the dogs l3 are operated to bring them into storm shutter securing position.

The retaining and locking means I have shown is but one form which maybe used for this purpose. Obviously, there are many other variations which can be made to perform the function of what I have shown. I do not wish to be limited to What I have illustrated and described but 3 desire to retain the right to make such changes in form, proportion and details of construction which come within the scope of the specification and drawings and the claim which follows.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a collapsible combination awning and storm shutter for a window sash opening, a center section comprising three horizontally hinged rigid panels which when in planar alignment and in storm shutter position close the sash opening,

when in awning position the upper panel extending outwardly substantially at right angles to the sash opening, the intermediate panel extending downwardly and outwardly from the upper panel and the lower panel being upward in a plane coinciding with that of the infolded backward and termediate panel, side rigid panels hinged at the front edges thereof to the intermediate panel and shaped to conform to formed by the upper and intermediate panels the polygonal opening I and the plane of the sash opening, and retaining members adjacent the sash openingadapted to hold the storm shutter in sash opening sealing position and adapted to engage the rear edges of the side rigid panels when the device is in awning position.

RUFUS M. MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 564,413 Stilwell July 21, 1896 994,279 Smith June 6, 1911 1,662,721 Schneider Mar. 13, 1928 1,745,299 Holan Jan. 28, 1930 2,093,314 MacDonald Sept. 14, 1937 

